Truss strttctxtbe



APPLICATION F4ILED MAY 5| 192|.

PatentedDeca'lZ, `A c c c f UNITDQSTATE-S- i A 1,438,452 fraai-freinonu-CF.,v

r vffro'mv jh. MILLER, or cHicAGo,`ILLINoIs.

1 *muss STRUCTURE.

application inea May y5,1 1921. smal No. 467,011.

To all whomz't'may concern: n w 1 y Be.' it'` known thatI, JOHN A. MILLER, ar citizenof the United States, and a resident of; Chicago, inthe county of Cool ,'jState of A which the following'isagspecification.

My .inventionrelates to truss structures,l

Illinois, have invented-certain new and use,- fulflmprovemen'ts finfTruss Structures, of

the obj ect .being to produce builtup wooden 'truss structures which are 'particularly adaptable and efficientfforsupporting roofs over extended floor areas, as yfor example, yin dancing pavilions, f skating pavilions, 'auditoriums, coliseums,"f` garages, etcl, where a floor of'considerablearealis to be covered and kept free from*y pillars,- posts or other My 4improved truss structureis clearly represented on the accompanying drawing in which f Fig. 1 is a side elevational view-pf a truss structure showingl .it raised inwpl'ace on its supporting piers, v

z Carige; f

Fig., 2 is an enlargedsideelevational View of a sectioni of. the truss structure and y Fig'-f3` iis a sectional view onplaneB- The truss structure shown comprises the outer arch member'. 10 vand the=inner arch member v11 which. may have any, desired curvature. As shown,these members are in greater part along the ,a1-cof acircle and are 1 parallel. The 'inner arch member continues downwardly yto'thepiers 12 anchored inthe ground,while the upper larchvmember at its` ends 10 defiect laterally andl slightly downwardly to be supported on the upright ybeams liwhichiest on thefpillars or piers 12 allonge- L side of the ends of theinner arch member 11. The arch members are spaced apart and lbct'ween the .main Y portion thereof, ,in this casethe parallel.y circular portion, are

inserted spacing `members designated as awhole by S. 'The' archmembers areof laminated 'construction The upper arch,I

membergis ybuilt up of 'boards 14 which overlap and-'parel securely held together by spikes or other fastening devices 15. The lower arch member ris also laminated and bulltiup of overlapping boards 16 secured together by spikes 17.1 The arch members are built upo'nthe ground, suitable" template or other guide arrangement being provided comprise each an upper block18 anda lower v similar block 19, the blocks being placed edge to ledge as'clearly shown ".inlFigs. 2` and 3. The blocks at their ends fare beveled solas to increasethercontact surface of their outer edges with the respective arch members without materially, increasing the weight .of the spacing members. .The yspacing members lcanjbe inserted after formation ofthe arch f so that the arch members will assume their proper curvature. The spacingmembers S members or, the inner boards of the arch members can rst be spiked or otherwise se-.p cured to the blocks and the outer laminations then secured one to the other by v.spikes .or

`otherwiseuntil the arch members have been built up to the required thickness.` After vbuildingup of thecupper and ,lower arch structuresthey are brought together with i the inneredges of the blocks in register and thenbolts 2O are applied whichexten'd enf tirely through both arch z members and `the blocks as .clearly shown. To insure `proper alinement of the blocks andalso to strengthen the arch membersagainst relativelongitudinal -shift after bolting together thereof, the blocks: may 'be provided with dowel notches 21 for receiving the dowel pins 22.

upper arch member the space isconsiderably increased and between these @ends andv the uprights 13 lattice Work or brace members 23 are secured which extend at the proper angle to give the greatest strength.- With this increased space between the'ends of the arch members and the uprights lftogetherf with the brace members a very strong 4a-nd'rigid end structure is provided for the truss which will prevent `collapse atfthe weakest point The uprights 13 also constitutefa support for a Iside/wall of the building supported by.

the trussessozth'at entrance andNeXit can be more conveniently provided. The deflected ends 10 of the upper arch structure when ico extended beyond the upright 13 also form wide eave supports 24: for sheltering people y,

necessary, braces 25 maybe provided forv along the voutside ofthe building, yand `if these eave sections.

90 yBetween the lower 'ends of the lower arch f f memberand the deflected ends :lOLof the It desired, extensions 26 mayifoimpart of the truss structures, these extensions being secured at their inner ends to the truss structure and deflect laterally distance yabone the body oi the structure to leave space 2T in which Ventilating' devices or windows may be placed when the building is constructed.

kstructures to prevent v`separation thereof.

This arrangement is particularly adaptable for low buildings' such as dance payilionsor other ,pleasure buildings. ln higher` buildings chordfmembers would be provided and extended betweenthe ends ofthe truss struc*l tures. 1 i

` They truss structure of my invention is eX- tremely simplmyetA Very 4rigid and efficient and, capable of supporting .considerable leads.v The laminated `arch` members together with the Aspacing blocksand bolts and the/expanded braced ends of the structure provide this great strength,-l and Irigidity. Ordinaryl stock boards and ordinary hart ware is used forl securing the parts together' and thus thecost is materially reduced. No skilled carpenterwork is required, the ordinary spacing blocks taking the place of the more complicated brace bars ofprior structuies .which require'greater vskill in termin g andfitting. Further-more thebloclrs afford much-:greater contract area-with the arch members than ordinary brace bar construe tion, such extended contact area serving to incre'asethe strength and rigidity of the members. Buildings have been `Constructed in whichthe truss'span is over one hundredfeetwith a vertical` thickness at the center of the .trussvfoless than three feet. I "do not desire to'be limited to the-precise censtructionV `and arrangementI shown as modifications are possible which would still come within the 'scope oithe invention.y

I claim as follows: Y A ,1., In 'atruss structure, the combinationof outer and inner arch memberseach built v up of laminations 'in' the `formoilv boards,`

vare

blocks, and dowel pins inserted between the engagingedges of said blocks.

3. In a truss structure, the combination of outer and inner 'arch members, a row of spacerl blocks applied on edge against the in- "ner sideof the outer arch member, said meminner s'ide'of the outer .arch member, said member being 'composed of laminations in the form yof boards rigidly nailed together and to said blocks, a; row of blocks vset on edge'o'n the upper face "of the inner arch member and said member being composed of laminations Vin the form ,of boards secured together `and 'to said blocks, the inner edges of said blocks registering, bolts extending tl'irough said' arch members and said blocks, and dowel vpins inserted between'the engaging-'edges of said blocks. y

' 5. ln a truss "structure, the combination oi' outer and inner arch' members, spacing members each comprising an outer block and .an inner block extending parallel with th/e'arch members, the outer blocks being 'independently secured to the outer arch member at spaced intervals and said inner blocks being independently secured A"to the Vlower Varch member at correspondingly spaced intervals whereby when said arch members are brought together `said blocks will engage-'and register.

at their'inne'r edges, and bolts extending through's'aid arch members and registering blocks to rigidly secure said members and blocks together to form the 'truss structure 6. n truss structure, the combination of outer and inneiarch membersysp'acing membersjeach comprising an` outer block and an innerblock extending parallel with'the 'arch members, said blocks b'eingjof irusto-conical longitudinal 'cross section, the outer blocks being independently,secured to Vthe 'outer arc-h member at spaced intervals with their bases or outer edges a,0 ,ainstv the member and said inner blocks being independently secured to the inner arch member at correspondingly 'spaced 'intervalsfand with their faces or outer edges against said inner, member whereby when said arch members are brought together, corresponding blocks will engage and register at their innerfedges, and bolts passing through said 'arch members and registering blocks to rigidly secure said members and blocks together to "for-m the truss structure.

7 .i In a truss structure, the .combination of an outer arch member and an inner arch member, sets of outer and inner spacing.

blocks extending longitudinally and inter- 5 posed between said arch members at spaced intervals with their outer led es against the arch members and with their inner edges engaging and registering, ,and bolts extending through said arch members and registeringl 10 blocks to rigidly secure the arch members and blocks together to form thetruss structure. 8. In a truss structure, the combination of outer and inner arehmembers,.sets of spacing blocks extendinglongitudinally and in'- terposed between saidfarch members with 4 their outer edges against said members andl their inner edges in engagement and regis-' tration, dowel pins between' the blocks vof each set, and boltsextending through said arch members and registering blocks, said bolts rigidly securing said arch members ,and

blockstogether to formr the truss structure and said dowel Fins preventing' longitudinal displacement o said blocks and said arch members. e

9. In a truss structure,`thecombination of'- outer and inner arch members each built up Aof over-lapping boards secured together, said arch members being parallel and spaced` nally thereof and vparallel with the arch members, and bolts extending through the arch members and through the spacing members.

10. Ina truss structure, the combination ofan outer arch member and an inner arch member parallel therewith, said members being spaced apart a short distance as come pared with theiry length, spacing members in theform of short lengths of plank set on,

edge between the varch members kand extende inglongitudinally thereof and'with their upper and lower edges in intimate contact throughout their. lengths ,withl said. arch `members, andk boltsextending through said arch members and said spacing members.

; -In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my'name this 29th dayof April, A. D. 1921.

. fr 'f y JOHN A. MILLER. 

